The Foreign Service Journal, February 2005

strated leadership qualities. The Foreign Service employee representative, the American Foreign Service Association, wants to write this practice into the permanent rulebook. • Congress has given State virtually all of the resources Secretary Powell requested. Congress understands that the increases for diplomatic readiness, information tech- nology, overseas buildings and diplomatic security are per- manent parts of the budget, not one-time catch-up costs. • State has achieved most of its Diplomatic Readiness Initiative staffing goals. With its new, first-rate recruit- ment and marketing program, State has redressed in three years almost the entire personnel deficit of the 1990s (some 2,000 employees hired above attrition) and increased the diversity and quality of Foreign Service offi- cers and specialists. F O C U S F E B R U A R Y 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 19 Over the years the State Department and Foreign Service have been more or less continuously analyzed by a variety of groups, commissions and individuals. Countless reports have been duly produced and duly filed to be forgotten. The goal of these efforts has always been the most effective prosecution of the nation’s diplomatic business. Action to achieve this objec- tive has been negligible. The Foreign Affairs Council is a non-partisan umbrella group of 11 organizations concerned about the processes-management of U.S. diplomacy and the people involved therein. We most decidedly do not address foreign policy issues, but are dedicated to the most effective diplomatic establishment possible. The Council met with Secretary Powell just after his arrival at the State Department to discuss reform issues. The Secretary made clear that there had been enough study groups calling for change, including one in which he participated. He was interested in incremental actions for change that would cumulatively establish a leadership culture in the institution and restore diplomatic readiness. We assured the Secretary of our strong support for his goals, as well as our intention to monitor the progress we sincerely hoped would occur. Almost four years have passed since that meeting. This report assesses the progress made by Secretary Powell and his management team toward their declared goals. In short, the achievements have been extraordinary — even historic — as our assessment details. To use the vernacular, the Powell team has “talked the talk” and “walked the walk.” The Secretary has been an exemplary CEO of the State Department. When he departs, he will leave the institution infinitely stronger than he found it. All of the above being stipulated, our report highlights areas where significant work remains and recommends actions to deal with continuing problems. The State Department, like successful commercial enterprises, must periodically reinvent itself to meet new challenges. This, of course, is a continuous process. The Council will monitor and report on future Secretaries of State as they also confront these leadership/management challenges. Finally, the Council would like to register its deepest grati- tude to the Una Chapman Cox and Delavan Foundations for their generous support, and to Ambassadors Ed Rowell and Bill De Pree for their efforts in interviewing scores of active- duty personnel in all bureaus and at all levels in the State Department, as well as in drafting this report. Signed, Amb. Thomas D. Boyatt (Assessment Chair), Foreign Affairs Council Amb. John W. Limbert (Assessment Coordinator), American Foreign Service Association Amb. L. Bruce Laingen, American Academy of Diplomacy Terri L. Williams, Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide Amb. Kenneth L. Brown, Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training Amb. Kenton W. Keith, Association of Black American Ambassadors Virginia A. Weil, Business Council for International Understanding Amb. Keith L. Brown, Council of American Ambassadors Amb. Clyde Taylor, Una Chapman Cox Foundation Amb. William C. Harrop, Nelson B. Delavan Foundation Holly H. Thomas, Public Members Association of the Foreign Service, USA